Garment



c. P. MELE' GARMENT Filed Dec. 17, 1937 'y//g' 22 y Patented Aug. 16, 1938 `UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My present invention relates' to garments and more particularly to ladies garments.

It is a well known fact that in the manufacture of dresses for women many sizes are necessary to accommodate the trade which greatly complicates manufacture owing to the fact that many different size patterns are required forone style alone.

Having these dificulties in mind, I have invented a new type of dress which is adjustable within wide limits thereby making it possible to manufacture all the different sizes of any one style by the use of only two or three sizes of patterns.

The principal object of my invention is an improved garment;

Another object is an improved garment which is automatically adjustable across the back of said garment;

Still another object is an improved adjustable garment which is adjustable across the bust;-

Still another object is an improved garment which is adjustable across the shoulders;

And still another object is an improved garment which is adjustable in the sleeve, and

Other objects and novel features comprising the construction and operation of my invention will appear as the description of the same progresses.

In the drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a garment showing one style which is adjustable across the shoulders;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of another style in which the shoulders and bust vare adjustable;

Fig. 3 shows a back elevation of either or both of the styles shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 shows another style in which the shoulders and bust are partially adjustable;

Fig. 5 is a back elevation of the style shown in Fig. 4 in which the back shoulder portion is partially adjustable;

Fig. 6 shows a developed pattern of an adjustable sleeve which may be used on all styles;

Fig. 7 illustrates a preliminary step in thement is constructed is a well known fabric in the trade but to better understand the operation of my invention I will briefiy describe it. Elastic threads I0 are stretched and maintained in this 5- expanded condition while fabric is loosely stitched around the thread. One or several rows of stitching may be used. -For the purpose of illustration I have shown one, as at I2. When the elastic thread is released, as in Fig. 9, the 10 fabric is drawn together in a multiplicity of short pleats, as indicated at I3. It will thus be noted that this material may be expanded to considerable extent in one direction.

This material, hereinafter referred to, as elas- 15 tic fabric has been in use somewhat for garments around the waist for the purpose of making this portion of the garment adjustable and I therefore make no claim for this specific use although I use the adjustable waist in my combination.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the method of increasing the width of the sleeve 20 by insertlng a gusset member 25 between the seam edges 30. This gusset may be triangular, as shown, or it may be rectangular or any other shape desired.

In all the figures I have designated the elastic fabric, as 40 generally, and all the various styles employ the same material the elastic movement being across the shoulders, in a horizontal plane on an axial line extending from one shoulder to 30 the other, some styles more than others.

I also wish to point out that while the garment shown is a ladies garment yet the same principle may be used for gentlemens shirts and the like.

While I have shown several styles of garment 35 which makes use of my invention, it is to be understood that many modifications of these may be used all of which may make use of the principle of increasing the width of the garment between the arm-holes or across the back and at 40 the same time using a non-stretching material for other parts of the garment.

It should be observed that I may employ two means to obtain the desired results. AIn one instance the material which is pleated by the 4.5 method disclosed in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 may be inserted in the garment as a separate piece of goods. In other instances, I may use one piece of goods and apply the method of pleating, as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, to those parts Where 50 adjustability in size is desired, as for instance at 4D.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. An improved garment having an upper body portion, shoulder, neck band and sleeve portions, in combination with insert members comprising material expandibl'e in a horizontal plane between the said sleeve portions, the said inserts .being located between the said neck band and sleeves and expandible insert portions, the said insert portions comprising elastic material expandible in ahorizontal plane on an axial line between the said sleeve portions, the said inserts being inserted in the said body portion between the said neck band and sleeves and extending down the front and back ot the garment to a point adjacent the lowermost jointure of the said sleeves with said garment.

3. An improved garment comprising the combination ci a body portion, shoulder, neck band, sleeves and expandible insert portions, the said insert portions comprising material expandible in a horizontal plane between the said sleeves being inserted in said garment between the neck band and sleeves and extending across the bust and back of said garment from iront to back to a lowermost point in the iront and back adjacent the lowermost jointure of the said sleeves with said garment.

CHRIST P.' MELE. 

